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Posts with tag JustTellMeWhatToGet

Just Tell Me What to Get: iPhone Earbuds

by Tom Samiljan, posted Oct 11th 2007 at 7:03PM




A reader writes: I bought an iPhone and was bummed to see that I can't use my favorite pair of earbuds with it (thanks to a proprietary audio input). The earbuds that came with the iPhone are no good sound-wise and so far I haven't seen many options for IPhone-compatible earbuds. So, I'm looking for a pair of iPhone-compatible earbuds that not only sound good (and go up to 11, volume-wise), but also let me take phone calls. Just tell me what to get!


We were just as disappointed as you were when we got our iPhone, so we immediately went out and bought a bunch of different models. Though we'd heard a lot of great things about the $99 Shure Stereo Headset Universal that we picked up at our local AT&T Store, we actually preferred the equally-priced V-Moda Vibe Duo earbuds, which not only look stylish with their three-toned white rubber, black, and chrome finish, but also offer decent definition in the mid-range and excellent, non-distorting bass on the low-end.

Like many a headset, the V-Moda Vibe Duo comes with a fit kit for differently-sized aural canals, as well as a compact leather case so you don't break them! Our only gripe is you can't answer the phone by just tapping on the mic, as you can with Apple's standard earbuds, but pretty much none of the options out there for the iPhone have this function -- yet. Besides, we'll take the better sound over call-convenience any day! One other thing we like: The cord is made of some kind of synthetic cloth, which doesn't tangle as easily the plastic cords of most earbuds we've had.




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Just Tell Me What To Get: Digital Camera Under $300 for Vacation

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 27th 2007 at 5:13PM

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33
A reader writes: I'm getting ready to go on vacation, and I want to bring along a small point-and-shoot digital camera. Thing is, I want the thing to be able to do a little bit of everything, so I'm willing to spend around $300. I'm mostly concerned about picture quality, fast movement, and lots of flexibility in terms of lighting situations as I'll be taking pictures both during the day and at night, inside and outside.

Hey reader: There are plenty of $300 point-and-shoot digital cameras out there, so we understand your confusion. Sounds like you need a feature-packed camera that won't break the wallet -- or the fanny pack -- for your vacation.

We recently got to play around with Panasonic's new Lumix DMC-FX33 camera, and despite the crazy confusing name, it's a great little unit. It's super small, has a big 2.5-inch screen and has plenty of scene modes for all your vacation-taking needs.

One thing that really sets this one apart is how easy it is to use. If you want to turn off the flash, just push a button. If you want to take a picture inside and don't want to think about the flash and ISO settings, just put the camera in auto mode and it will adjust everything for you. All that said, if you're a bit of a camera geek like we are, you can manually set just about everything.

What makes this camera stand out is Panasonic's use of 28mm Leica optics, which are some of the best lenses in the biz. Typically, Leica lenses are only available in much more expensive cameras.

Outside of that, this camera has all the standard features you would want in this price range. It does 8.1 megapixels, has a wide 28mm lens, uses inexpensive SD cards, does 4x optical zoom, has a macro setting (for close-up pictures of flowers and what-not), a widescreen video mode and this it's pretty quick when you need to take multiple pictures. Finally, for fashionistas, the Lumix comes in an assortment of colors: black, silver, blue, and the brown seen above.

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Just Tell Me What To Get: 42-Inch Plasma

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Jun 26th 2007 at 6:30PM

Panasonic TH42PX77UA reader writes: So, I'm ready to get into the HDTV world now that the TVs are somewhat affordable. I want a 42-inch plasma that will be easy to set up, look good and last a long time. I'm not really looking to set up a surround sound system just yet, but I'd like to have that option in the future. Just tell me what to get!

Hey reader: There are tons of 42-inch plasmas out there, and the prices vary widely. You're absolutely right that they're somewhat affordable now, too -- some are under $1,000 while others run around $3,500! It's a confusing market, indeed.

While it would be easy to tell you to just get the cheapest one you can find, instead we'll tell you to pick up Panasonic's TH-42PX77U TV. This shiny black beauty will run you around $1,200 to $1,500, and you'll get one of the best plasma screens available. It sports the perfect mix of value and quality. You won't be overspending, but you also won't be short-changed by weak features and substandard picture.

Don't get caught up in the "true HD" chatter. While the TH-42PX77U has 768 lines of resolution as opposed to "True HD's" 1080, at 42 inches, those 312 lines won't make much of a difference -- if at all -- unless you're sitting inches from the screen. Plus, with the Panasonic's fantastic contrast ratio (how bright vs. dark the pixels get) and color accuracy, you're going to be in HD bliss before you know it.

The Panasonic also has all the connections you'll need right out of the box, including HDMI and component video for HD feeds from your cable or satellite box. It still has all the standard connections for your current equipment (like game consoles and VCRs), too. It sports an SD memory card slot so you can watch slide shows you took with your digital camera. If you're worried about daytime-watching glare due to the shiny glass of plasmas, worry not, as the Panasonic has an anti-glare surface.

Again, while we could show you cheaper 42-inch plasmas, this is the one we would get. Enjoy the HD -- you'll never want to go back!

Also -- for those of you confused about the difference between plasma and LCD, check out this feature from Digital Lifestyle.

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Just Tell Me What to Get: Bedroom TV

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Apr 11th 2007 at 5:46PMFeatured Story

Syntax Olevia BrillianA reader writes: I just redid my bedroom and I'm aching to get rid of a bulky 20-inch TV that just doesn't look right in the new setup. Since I won't be watching TV all the time, I'm not terribly concerned about picture quality, but I would like to be able to get a wall-mounted HDTV and a somewhat decent picture out of it. I also don't want to spend more than $600. Just tell me what to get!

Hey reader: We love crisp HDTV in bed just like anyone, but we also know a good deal when we see one. That's why we're fans of the Syntax-Brillian Olevia 32-inch LCD TV. It's a slim flat-panel LCD HDTV that will mount on your wall and give you access to all of your cable or satellite company's HDTV programming. What's more, it comes in an attractive, low-profile case and looks good in any recently-remodeled bedroom (our significant others don't mind it, so it passes that test).

The Olevia sports all the latest inputs, so you should be future proof for a good while. It has 1 HDMI input (the latest & greatest), a VGA input (for computers), a component input (for older HDTV sources), and a composite input (for things like VCRs and game consoles).

Keep in mind that if you want to wall-mount this TV, you'll spend around another $70-80 for a bracket, although it does come with a table stand. In addition, don't expect the super amazing picture quality that you would find on bigger name brands (extremely accurate colors, contrast, even brightness), but you'll be hard-pressed to find any major problems for basic bedroom viewing. Extra bedroom-friendly features include an alarm clock, sleep timer, and headphone jack. At around $525 (street price) you should be easily under $600 by the time you're installed. Good luck!

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